The Relationship of Crisis Preparedness and the Image Repair Strategies Used by The Manila Water Company, Inc. in their Press Statements

Abstract

The study determined the relationship between the crisis preparedness of Manila Water Company Inc. and the image repair strategies they used in their press statements regarding specific crises. Its objectives were 1) To measure the level of MWCI's crisis preparedness 2) To identify the image repair strategies they used in their press statements 3) To discover how the level of crisis preparedness relates to the number of image repair strategies used in their press statements. The researcher employed quantitative descriptive research design to examine the crisis preparedness, through a crisis management audit, of the concessionaires during the recent water crisis. The image repair strategies used were extracted from MWCI's press statements on their TV and radio interviews, news articles and press releases. Using purposive sampling, 12 employees from MWCI participated in the study. Nine were from the Corporate Communications Department with one head and eight members and three were from the Risk Management Department with one head and two members. The questionnaire was based on the Crisis Management Pre-crisis/Post-crisis Audit Model of Mitroff, Pearson and Harrington (1996). A content analysis of MWCI's press statements was conducted to identify the image repair strategies used. Results show that in terms of crisis types, phases, systems and stakeholders with regard to the specific crises presented, Manila Water Company, Inc. is a crisis prepared company. The content analysis of press statements from TV interviews and news articles revealed that Manila Water used the following image repair strategies: Simple Denial, Bolstering, Good Intentions, Accident, Mortification, Corrective Action and Differentiation. Pearson's statistical test revealed that based on the variables used which are the means of the crisis audit scores of phases, systems and stakeholders of each crisis and the number of image repair strategies that were extracted from the content analysis, there is no significant relationship between crisis preparedness and image repair strategies used in press statements. Based on the findings of the study, the following conclusions were made: 1) Based on the specific crisis events presented, Manila Water Company Inc. is crisis management prepared with regard to crisis phases, systems and stakeholders. Therefore, satisfying all the four factors of crisis management which makes MWCI crisis prepared overall. 2) MWCI used Simple Denial, Bolstering, Good Intentions, Accident, Mortification, Corrective Action and Differentiation. Bolstering was the most used strategy followed by Corrective Action and Good Intentions, and Simple Denial. 3) There is no significant relationship between crisis preparedness and the image repair strategies used by Manila Water based on the variables tested because strategies use may vary depending on the type of crisis at hand and the gravity of its threat to the company's reputation. Recommendations include trying to determine the relationship of crisis preparedness and image repair strategies on another type of industry such as corporate businesses which may have more varied types of crisis being experienced and therefore more crisis events that maybe subjected to crisis management audits. More respondents may also help in achieving more varied responses with regard to the crisis management audits of the crisis events. Moreover, a focus on the appropriateness of the strategies depending on the crisis event and how effective this is based on the stakeholders' perceptions may yield significant results. The researcher also suggests an inclusion of interviews on key members who are in-charge of media relations for an in-depth understanding on their use of image repair strategies to preserve their company's reputation or simply to respond to allegations.